diff --git a/export-video.py b/export-video.py
index 8f3c042..ef97be9 100755
--- a/export-video.py
+++ b/export-video.py
@@ -41,13 +41,34 @@ params = {
     "recursive": False}
 
 VERSION = "0.1dev"
-exec_ffmpeg = os.path.join("ffmpeg")
 
 
 def log(msg):
     sys.stdout.write(msg + "\n")
 
 
+def execute(command, shell=False):
+    """
+    Execute a system command and return its results.
+    Thanxx Strycote from Lutyris.net
+    """
+    try:
+        stdout, stderr = subprocess.Popen(command,
+                                          shell=shell,
+                                          stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                          stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()
+    except OSError as ex:
+        print('Could not run command %s: %s', command, ex)
+        return
+    return stdout.strip()
+
+
+def find_executable(exec_name):
+    if not exec_name:
+        raise ValueError("find_executable: exec_name required")
+    return execute(['which', exec_name])
+
+
 def listFile(directory, pattern, recursive):
     log("searching in directory" + directory)
     files_list = []
@@ -159,7 +180,11 @@ def encode_h264(src, dest):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    log("export_video v" + VERSION + "FFMPEG exec " + exec_ffmpeg)
+    exec_ffmpeg = find_executable("ffmpeg")
+    if not exec_ffmpeg:
+        log("ffmpeg not found, exiting")
+        sys.exit(2)
+    # log("export_video v" + VERSION + "FFMPEG exec " + exec_ffmpeg)
     processArg(sys.argv[1:])
     if not params["file_input"]:
         log("you must specify a file / directory" + params["file_input"])